When production costs for a product require large sums of money, the purchaser may demand documented proof that the product can provide top-notch performance over a long lifespan. Production includes manufacturing, quality control testing, and performance testing. In the field aerospace, satellite production is expensive (e.g., on order from $300 M-1 B per satellite). The expected lifespan of a satellite is about 25 years. A satellite manufacturer must generate documented proof that each satellite complies with numerous rigorous quality control specifications. Testing each satellite for compliance with each quality control specification and each performance specification contributes to the large cost.
Demand for satellite fabrication is low, such that a request for production may include, e.g., only 1, 5, or 20 satellites. Also, the demand for satellite fabrication is intermittent, such that years may pass between requests for production. Consequently, manufacturers go in and out of business between requests for production. The technology applicable for use on satellites develops rapidly. Each request for production of a satellite is different, such that a manufacturer's tools for meeting a first request for production are not well suited for meeting a subsequent request for production. The combination of intermittent low-volume demand for a product and rapidly changing technology does not provide an incentive for the aerospace industry to develop automation tools to satellite production. A satellite manufacturer uses hand built processes and spends approximately 5 years to build a satellite. Without automation, production standards for spacecraft are lacking. Without a sufficient volume of demand, manufacturing standards for spacecraft are lacking.